


The Trials and Tribulations of Lee Donghyuck in His Quest for Love

by Yersina



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe - High School, M/M, Pining, but what else is new, mark is oblivious af
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-05-31 06:07:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19420030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yersina/pseuds/Yersina
Summary: Donghyuck is well aware of his crush, thank you very much. So Donghyuck likes Mark. Fine. This shouldn’t be a problem, because Donghyuck’s not the type to sit on his feelings and pine over Mark in some misplaced sense of pride or honor. He and Mark have gone through their fair share of fights and Donghyuck is absolutely certain that this isn’t going to be what breaks them.However. All of this means nothing before Mark Lee’s sheer obliviousness.-Or: There are only so many ways you can confess to someone, and Donghyuck is running out of ideas.





	The Trials and Tribulations of Lee Donghyuck in His Quest for Love

**Author's Note:**

> happy birthday kristin!! i tried very hard to write a flower shop au for you that also included yuwin and nomin but it just wasn't happening, so you get this instead. i hope you like it!

Donghyuck is well aware of his crush, thank you very much. He knows very well that he has liked one Mark Lee ever since the other told off their classmates for bullying him when they were younger, as cliche as it is, but the realization that he likes Mark Lee that little, extra, romantic bit came during lunch one day when he was watching Mark shove a too-large bite in his mouth and struggle to chew it all. (He immediately reconsidered after _also_ watching Mark spray half the contents of his mouth across the table after he couldn’t hold in his sneeze anymore, but alas, the heart wants what the heart wants.)

So Donghyuck likes Mark. Fine. This shouldn’t be a problem, because Donghyuck’s not the type to sit on his feelings and pine over Mark in some misplaced sense of pride or honor. He and Mark have gone through their fair share of fights and Donghyuck is absolutely certain that this isn’t going to be what breaks them.

However. All of this means nothing before Mark Lee’s sheer obliviousness.

#### 1\. 

Donghyuck tries confessing for the first time after the last class of the day. Apart from lunch, it’s the one time of day that he knows for sure that he’ll have the time to talk to Mark, and lunch is absolutely not a time for confessing. (He’d rather _never_ tell Mark than have Jeno and Renjun and Jaemin as witnesses to his moment of weakness. The fact that they’ll know _after_ they’re boyfriends and dating is bad enough as it is—adding in further teasing material? Donghyuck shudders just thinking about it.)

They’re sitting side by side on the bench next to the pickup lane, waiting for Mark’s mom to arrive. Conveniently, Mark and Donghyuck live right next to each other, which means their parents switch off pickup duty, and more importantly, Mark and Donghyuck get to hang out together nearly every day after school. 

Donghyuck is currently picking up the pieces of his courage, nervousness churning in his stomach. Just because he’s made up his mind and he knows that Mark won’t make fun of him for it doesn’t mean the rest of his body has gotten the memo. He darts his eyes over at Mark and his stomach lurches when he sees the way the sunlight glints off the strands of his hair. 

He thinks he might puke.

Closing his eyes and breathing out slowly, Donghyuck tips over onto Mark’s shoulder (which is way too bony to be comfortable, which really just goes to show how much Donghyuck is willing to overlook for the sake of his crush). 

“Hey, are you okay?” There’s a hand gently combing through his hair and Donghyuck practically melts at the sensation. 

“I like you,” he blurts out.

The hand pauses for several agonizing seconds. Donghyuck squeezes his eyes shut even more tightly. 

“What, so you only like me for my petting skills?”

_Wait—_ “What—”

“No, don’t tell me: it’s the free rides, isn’t it?”

Donghyuck is very confused. Not to mention uncomfortable from the amount of wiggling by Mark’s shoulder. He pries his eyes open just in time to see Mark’s mom’s car pull up in front of them and the passenger side window roll down.

“Hi, Mom!” Mark chirps, waving enthusiastically. 

“Hi, Mrs. Lee.” It comes out the tiniest bit sullen. 

“Hi, kids!”

Donghyuck sighs and gets in the car.

#### 2\. 

Donghyuck has learned from his mistake. If straight up confessing isn’t going to work, then his only other option is to romance Mark until he finally gets a clue. And this time, he isn’t going to choose something that other people can interrupt. It’s just going to be him and Mark. 

He rifles through his mental database of the most couple-y activities he can think of before sprawling over onto the rest of the couch (and coincidentally, also Mark’s lap. Win-win). “Hey, want to go to the movies?”

Mark gives him an (undeserved) unimpressed look. “We’re watching movies right now.”

Donghyuck swipes a dismissive hand at the TV, which is indeed playing a movie (which might have had something to do with his decision—he never claimed to be the most creative person out there). “No, I mean at a theater.”

“Movie theaters are expensive.”

“But movie theaters provide The Experience™.” Donghyuck even pronounces the trademark and everything. 

“We have popcorn at home, though?” Mark is starting to sound more confused than obstinate, which is a sign that Donghyuck is winning. _Score._ “And I can draw the curtains?”

“Noooo.” Donghyuck is fully willing to admit that he’s whining. He hopes Mark can appreciate in the future that Donghyuck is pulling out all the stops in the name of wooing him. “It’s not the same and you know it.” He even throws in puppy eyes for good measure. “Come on, please?”

Mark eyes him suspiciously. Any other person would be concerned, but Donghyuck just knows that this means Mark has moved from automatically refusing to questioning Donghyuck’s motives. It’s a small step on the road to giving in. “This is just an excuse to watch that movie you’ve been telling me about, isn’t it?”

Donghyuck jumps on the excuse. Honestly, he’d completely forgotten about that, but it’s as good a reason as any. _When did I even tell him?_ “Yeah, you’ve got me. It’s a really really really good movie, okay?”

“If you haven’t watched it, how do you know it’s a good movie?”

Donghyuck huffs in annoyance. “The trailers look good. It’s action-packed and gory, what more do you want?”

Mark rolls his eyes, which Donghyuck thinks is unfair. All of the best movies have shooting and violence. “Fine. But you’re paying for everything.” 

“Fine.” Donghyuck can feel the ghost of his wallet choking on nothingness and dying a second death because theaters are _expensive,_ but he smothers its protests in the name of love.

-

Once they actually get to the theater, Donghyuck’s suggestion for a movie gets thrown out the window as they stand and compare all the movie posters to see which movie looks the scariest (that they can get into on their own. Donghyuck would rather settle for a less scary movie than have a chaperone, thanks). 

He even buys a bucket of horrendously overpriced popcorn for them to share even though his wallet is crying out in pain. For Mark, he’s willing to splurge. He’d _better_ appreciate this in the future.

Donghyuck didn’t take into account how they’re both too used to horror movies to really fulfill the whole ‘jump into the other’s arms’ trope. Within the first few minutes of the movie, they’re already fighting over the popcorn (quietly, of course. They’ve long mastered the subtle art of movie theater flailing). By the time the first person dies, Mark is whispering scathing commentary into his ear and Donghyuck is shoving buttery popcorn into his mouth by the fistful while Mark’s distracted. It’s not until the movie is over that Donghyuck realizes that he didn’t even get a chance to accidentally-on-purpose hold Mark’s hand in the popcorn bucket or whatever it is that he was supposed to do.

He listens to Mark’s continued unsolicited review of the movie with half an ear as they walk out of the theater and mentally puts a big red ‘X’ next to ‘movies’ on his romance checklist. 

#### 3\. 

Donghyuck decides to give the tropes one more try. They’re tropes for a reason, right? They had to have worked for someone at some point for them to be so prevalent in pop culture. 

He spent a night wa—studying some dramas for this, and he thinks he’s figured out where he went wrong before. The movies were too subtle—he and Mark go out to movies all the time (regardless of Mark’s half-hearted protests) and he’d been asking Mark to go to that one for a long time anyway (or so he’s been told). 

The next step on his increasingly and alarmingly shortening list of options is dinner. He’s not really sure what it is that’s romantic about dinner—eating has to be one of the least attractive times to be talking to someone, but everyone else seems to find it a classic, so Donghyuck just metaphorically shrugs his shoulders and goes along with it. 

This, however, is cut off almost before it can begin.

Mark’s in his room, over for the weekend to do his homework, like always. Donghyuck’s math homework is currently melting his brain, so he grants himself a break to lie back on his bed and stare up at the ceiling. Mark, diligent student that he is, keeps working.

“Hey, want to get dinner?” He forces his voice into the most stable semblance of nonchalance that he can, hyper-aware of the way his heart is thudding in his chest. He’s not sure whether not being able to see Mark’s face makes this better or worse.

“You mean right now?”

“After homework, I guess,” he acquiesces.

“Oh.” At this, Donghyuck can’t resist the temptation anymore and cranes his neck forward uncomfortably in the way that he knows gives him double chins. Mark looks fidgety and nervous, but he’s almost always on the verge of that sort of expression anyway. “But my mom was planning on making your favorite dishes for dinner today.”

Donghyuck flops back onto the bed and lets out a long and heartfelt groan. 

“Wait, was it something I said? Do you not want to come over?”

“No, I’m coming.”

Curse his love for Mrs. Lee and her cooking.

#### 4\. 

Clearly, Donghyuck is going about this in the wrong way. The tropes have betrayed him, and either he isn’t being obvious enough or Mark is just too goddamn oblivious. (This isn’t something he even needs a second of thought for—it’s the latter. Of course it’s the latter.)

Damn his shame. It’s time to call in the cavalry.

the three (four) musketeers  
**Today** 3:45PM

i’ve tried e v e r y t h i n g  
he still doesn’t get it

**nojam**   
just talk to him 

i have been!!!  
what else do you think i’ve been doing??   
none of this is my fault

**injunnie**   
but you clearly have to admit   
if you were talking to him properly   
this wouldn’t be an issue   
and i wouldn’t need to sit here and read your lovesick texts

…  
i still maintain that i’m talking to him properly

**injunnie**   
but you DO admit you’re lovesick?

there’s no winning with you people  
maybe i’m just not being obvious enough

**nana**   
nO

**injunnie**   
donghyuck?

**nana**   
he’s Gone   
that idiot.

-

Donghyuck decides that he’s not being obvious enough. He swallows his embarrassment and looks up the location of the closest florist and goes in and buys the biggest bouquet of flowers that he can afford (which, admittedly, isn’t that big because not only are bouquets expensive, but he’s also broke (re: movie theaters)). It just so happens to be a bouquet consisting entirely of red roses since Valentine’s Day is coming up soon, so he counts that as a tentative win. 

He spares a brief moment of mourning for his wallet. May it rest in peace. 

His dad gives him a weird look when he lugs home the flowers and wanders around the kitchen helplessly before giving up and grabbing one of the glasses that they usually use for water, depositing the bouquet haphazardly inside. Donghyuck ignores him. He’s done weirder.

A couple hours later, Donghyuck is on his way over for their biweekly weekend dinner (Mark comes over on the off weeks), plastic crinkling unpleasantly against his sweaty palms. He thinks he’s starting to sympathize with all those guys who have to confront overprotective dads before asking their daughters to a dance, which just makes him more baleful because he’s not even that far into his own relationship. 

He rings the doorbell like he always does and rocks on his heels as he waits. His heartbeat picks up when he hears the sound of the door unlocking and in another second, Mark’s face is peering through the doorway.

“Oh, hey—whoa.”

Donghyuck thrusts the flowers in his direction. “Here, they’re for you.” He’s torn between squeezing his eyes shut and pretending the universe doesn’t exist and staring at Mark to catch his every reaction. He settles for the middle ground of trying to set the ground beneath his feet on fire with his eyes. It’s not going very well, to say the least. Like many other things in his life. The concrete remains unmoved by his plight.

“Huh, cool. Hey, Mom, Donghyuck brought flowers! Where should I put them?” Mark shouts into the house. Donghyuck jerks his head up in exasperated disbelief. “Why roses, though? Were they on sale for Valentine’s Day?”

Donghyuck’s not sure whether lying or telling the truth is better in this case. (The truth being that yes, he did get the roses because they were on sale and cheaper than the other bouquets but they’re also _symbolic._ Of his _love._ Clearly.) “Uhh…”

“Here, come on in. Mom, do we have a vase?”

Donghyuck seriously debates whether possible brain damage is worth the cathartic value of banging his head against the wall.

#### 5.

Donghyuck doesn’t even need to consult a trope for this one. Valentine’s Day is universally accepted as one of the most romantic holidays of the year and Donghyuck’s not about to let this chance pass by, even if he’s almost completely certain at this point that it won’t do him any good. 

He stands in the supermarket aisle, staring at shelves and shelves of red and pink chocolates, wondering why love seems to revolve around the spending of money. Movies and dinner and chocolate… maybe he should just give up for the sake of giving his wallet a break. That would save him time and effort, too.

Squatting down, he checks the price tag on a bag of Dove chocolate before making a sound of disgust. If red wrappers were really worth that much money, he might as well buy normal chocolate, paint it, and make a fortune. 

Alas.

He grabs a bag at random and thows it with more force than necessary into his basket. He figures he’s deserved a bit of a tantrum. He buys his chocolate with little fanfare and a lot of pouting.

Once he has the bag of chocolate on the desk in his room, he stares at it, contemplating what to do. He doesn’t have the craftsmanship necessary for repackaging the chocolates in a nicer bag or drawing Mark a card or anything like that. Not that he wants to. His entire being cringes away from the idea of giving Mark a lovey-dovey, perfume scented card like his best friend tends to get during this time of year. He still has a bit of dignity, thanks.

In the end, he decides that the bag of chocolate will have to be enough. It’s pink and clearly Valentine’s themed. Mark’s capable of getting the hint, right? Donghyuck’s giving him _chocolate_ on _Valentine’s Day._ (He acknowledges the voice blaring _No, he won’t!_ with a sigh.)

He trudges into their homeroom classroom with the air of a man beaten down by life (or Mark’s sheer cluelessness) but scrounges up a scowl for Jaemin, whose grin gives away how much enjoyment he’s getting out of Donghyuck’s pain. He has such shitty friends.

Collapsing into the chair next to Mark, he doesn’t even bother with a greeting before flinging the bag of chocolate onto Mark’s desk. “Here. For you.”

Mark blinks owlishly at the pink monstrosity before turning a quizzical look on Donghyuck. “Thanks, man. Wouldn’t it have been cheaper to buy the chocolate after Valentine’s Day, though? You’re always complaining about not having enough money.”

_That’s because I spend it all on you, you dumbass._ Donghyuck gladly gives in to the urge to faceplant onto his desk.

#### +1. 

Donghyuck is pretty much ready to give up. In fact, he’s already given up. Inspirational quotes have nothing against the thickness of Mark’s skull. Maybe Mark is trying to let him down easy. Maybe Mark is too entrenched in their friendship to get it. Whatever the reason is, Donghyuck is out of ideas and out of money. Mostly out of money.

He’s over at Mark’s house, lying on his ridiculously comfortable couch. The Mario Kart soundtrack is still playing on loop in the background and if Mark’s mom were at home, she’d scold them for leaving the TV on while they go on their phones. 

Even if Donghyuck didn’t manage to get his feelings across, this is… okay. He likes the familiarity, likes the peace and security that comes with this routine. It fills him with a warmth that’s completely different and yet somehow almost indistinguishable from the prickles-and-fluttering that looking at Mark makes him feel. 

Sighing, Donghyuck lets his hand flop onto his chest and wriggles over a bit so that his head is pillowed on Mark’s leg. He’s perfectly calm when he opens his mouth and says, “Hey, I like you.”

“Hm?”

“You’re an idiot—”

“Hey!”

“—and I like you. Squeezing in my chest and knots in my stomach kind of like.” Donghyuck blinks up at the ceiling and waits for a reply. With every second that ticks by, his heartrate kicks up a notch. It takes effort to keep his breath steady.

“Oh.” At this, Donghyuck shifts and cranes his head up to look at Mark because they’ve known each other forever but he’s not telepathic. Mark has a blush across his cheeks, reaching up to his ears and god. It’s so cute. It’s so goddamn cute. “Really?”

Donghyuck thinks his indignation is deserved, here. “Would I lie to you?”

“Yes,” Mark answers immediately, which is also deserved.

Donghyuck huffs and readjusts towards the ceiling again. “Not for something like this.”

There’s another awkwardly long pause before a hand tentatively settles in his hair in the semblance of a petting motion. “I… um. Like you too.”

It takes Donghyuck a moment before the words register but once they do, he pushes himself up into a sitting position and twists around so he can stare at Mark incredulously. “What.” He doesn’t inflect it like a question.

“I like you too?” Mark is starting to look confused and concerned but he’ll have to give Donghyuck a while to get over his _absolute disbelief._

“You’re kidding me.”

“No, I’m not?” 

“I’m not joking.”

“Neither am I?” Donghyuck has half a mind to tell him to stop talking in all questions like he did when they were younger but that’s a conversation for a different time. “You don’t believe me?”

“Why would I?! I’ve been confessing to you this whole time and you never said anything!”

“You _have?”_ The amount of confusion and wonderment in Mark’s voice is insulting.

Donghyuck rearranges his limbs into a more comfortable position so he can start ticking off on his fingers. “Dinner. Movie. Flowers. _Chocolate._ Hell, I even straight up told you I like you a while ago.”

“Wait, what?” The confusion doesn’t leave Mark’s face. “That was you confessing?”

“What else would it be?!”

“We do that stuff all the time, though,” Mark says slowly. He also starts ticking off on his fingers. “We go to the movie theater at least once every couple months and we were about due for another trip anyway. We eat dinner at each other’s houses every week. You gave me the chocolate you bought during Valentine’s Day last year—” _Oh, yeah. I did do that—_ “because you thought the wrapping looked cute. I was with you when you bought it!” Here, Mark pauses. “Admittedly, the flowers were kind of weird, but not out of the norm for you.”

Donghyuck thinks over his actions again and willfully does not give in to the urge to groan out loud. Instead, he droops back over onto Mark’s lap sullenly and stubbornly stares at the coffee table, even when Mark runs his hand through Donghyuck’s hair with a giggle. “We’re both idiots.”

“Yeah, I guess we are.”

“Except you’re the bigger idiot.”

“I admit to nothing.”

“That’s why communication is important, kids—though, for the record, I communicated plenty fine. _You_ were the oblivious one.”

The hand in his hair pauses. “I’d fight you on this, but I’m not going to win, am I?”

“Nope,” Donghyuck says smugly.

“...fine.”

They sit in silence for a while until Donghyuck can’t stand it anymore, maneuvering around so that he can look Mark in the eye. “Does this mean we’re dating now?”

“I guess, yeah. Boyfriends?” Mark offers, like it’s a truce.

“Boyfriends.” 

They grin at each other, bright like the sunlight streaming in through the window. It’s not so different, being boyfriends. It’s just a label, really, that Donghyuck’s been chasing after. Donghyuck doesn’t suddenly like Mark more because they’re boyfriends now, nor does the combination of prickles and fluttering and warmth dissipate or change. But— 

He leans over and presses his lips to Mark’s and _oh,_ that feels simultaneously exactly like and somehow not at all what he expected it to be like. It’s warm and soft and _close_ and he can’t wait to do that again (and again and again—). The knots in his stomach do little happy wriggles and his heart flips in his chest when he sees the matching smile on Mark’s face. 

—a best friend doesn’t get to do that. 

**Author's Note:**

> i'm on twitter as [@yersin_a](https://twitter.com/yersin_a) and i have a [cc](https://curiouscat.me/yersin_a)! come talk to me!


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